In 2019, The First Unitarian Church of Cleveland and the Universalist Congregation of Cleveland reunified after decades apart and are now renamed the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Cleveland (UUCC). The congregation gathers at the landmark First Unitarian Church home on Shaker Blvd in the Mercer/Belvoir Oval neighborhood. Its building is home to many programs and people and its backyard is a draw for all ages - from the permaculture gardens to the playground. 

Kids from the congregation and surrounding neighborhood have gathered at the playground in the UUCC's backyard for many decades. Last summer, a few kids from the neighborhood had the idea to talk to the chuch about how they'd like to help them improve the wooden playground, which had aged overtime and needed some TLC. So, they got together and wrote a letter to the church to ask if the UUCC leadeership would be interested and from there a church-neighborhood partnership was born! Interest was high to address the safety concerns urgently and discuss short and long term playground improvement ideas.

Over the cold months, the conversation evolved and more people joined the planning. The church-neighborhood partnership has evolved, too. On June 30th the UUCC is hosting a Common Ground discussion in partnership with The Cleveland Foundation.